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Hi,
I'm a recently retired engineer who has been doing service work in Guatemala for ~ 10 years. I didn't have time to work on my Spanish much while I was working. For the last 18 months I've been retired and have had more time to practice my Spanish in Colorado. I took a course at the local university, practice with the AI driven app (Langua) and I volunteer at a bilingual elementary school. But I wanted an immersion experience to help boost my level of Spanish. I want to become conversational (intermediate level), so I can help students in the school with their work in English or Spanish.
A friend recommended Celas Maya. She had attended the school ~15 years ago and had a wonderful experience. After convincing my wife to be gone in Guatemala for. a few weeks, I signed up for 3 weeks at Celas Maya. It was a wonderful experience with the 1-1 lessons 5 hours/day, 5 days/week. I stayed with a host family during my stay. I also took advantage of the daily afternoon activities (and weekends also) to spend time with other students and teachers and practice my conversation skills. We went to hot springs, a pueblo, a museum, the local cemetery, Lake Atitlan, Chichicastenango's famous market and learned some Latin dances!
The immersion experience was exhausting at times, but the confidence and improvement in my conversation skills were well worth it. I'm thrilled I was able to have this experience. Celas Maya became a second family while I was in Xela and I would highly recommend considering Celas Maya is you are interested in improving your Spanish conversation skills. Xela is a welcoming city and not nearly as crowded or busy as Guatemala City.
I wish you the best in your Spanish language adventures!
Miguel
I spent two weeks at Celas Maya and highly recommend this Spanish language school in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala. The one-on-one classes, the setting and the surrounding community were perfect for leaning and perfecting Spanish. If you can’t get there in person, they also have extraordinary online one-on-one classes.
I just finished 10 weeks of studying Spanish at Celas Maya and I cannot recommend it more highly. The teachers are all incredible - clear, patient, caring and knowledgeable. The administration is incredibly helpful and friendly as well. The entire school really feels like a family, which makes the experience so much more comfortable when you’re living in an unfamiliar place.
Oh and Joel plans the best activities - there is always something fun and interesting to do after class and on weekends to learn about and explore the region and its culture - as well as reinforce your Spanish classes.
All in all, if you are serious about learning Spanish, you won’t be able to find a better place than Celas Maya.
Ich habe zwei Wochen im Rahmen meines Bildungsurlaubes hier mein Spanisch verbessert. Celay Maya ist eine professionell geführte Schule. Ich habe mich hier sehr willkommen und sicher gefühlt. Auch meine Unterkunft war wunderschön. Nicht zuletzt konnte ich mein Spanisch signifikant verbessern. Vielen Dank an die exzellenten Lehrer.
Overall an outstanding experience. Excellent communication from the school administration from my first contact through my safe arrival and settling in at the school and homestay. I had the opportunity to work with two different teachers during my two week stay, both were kind, patient and effective instructors who kept things fun and interesting during the one-on-one classes. The level of instruction and focus of the class is highly individualized to your needs. Based on my experience with my classmates the school clearly attracts serious and professional students. There was a nice variety of well organized afternoon and weekend cultural/social activities that provided the opportunity for informal language practice with teachers and fellow students. The homestay arranged by the school provided even more opportunity to learn about the country, the culture and to practice the language. The accommodations were comfortable and secure and the meals provided were very delicious. The school is in an historic building near the center of Xela. The town itself is a great place to study, very walkable, not touristy at all, with lots of interesting sites. I am looking forward to returning to Celas Maya to continue my studies.
I studied Spanish at Celas Maya for two weeks. I had a wonderful experience at this school. Prior to arrival, the communication was professional and the school was very helpful in organizing and setting everything up. The teachers at the school were kind and engaged. The atmosphere is warm and social. I felt very comfortable the moment I walked in. Generally speaking, all classes are private one-on-one. Thus it is very easy to tailor the classes to one's level and interests. My lessons felt challenging enough to lead to progress but at the same time were still fun. The school offers daily activities for all students in the afternoon. The activities are interesting, diverse and ensure that you explore different aspects of Guatemalan culture (from watching a movie, to visiting museums, cooking, salsa classes to longer weekend excursions with overnight stays). I greatly enjoyed meeting and spending time with all the other students and their teachers during these activities. It was the perfect blend of individualized study and socializing while having fun and learning more about Guatemala.
I highly recommend Celas Maya to anyone looking to seriously improve their Spanish while meeting wonderful people and experiencing a different culture!
I’ve had the opportunity to study at Celas Maya twice: once on my own twenty years ago and again recently for two weeks with my wife. Both experiences were wonderful! The teachers were a joy to be with and professional, speaking and teaching extremely clear Spanish. The administrative staff—Leslye, Federico and Gloria--were very kind and supportive when we needed to make adjustments to our class schedule. The one-on-one format of classes were customized to our specific learning needs and teachers made sure to identify our goals each week with a structured lesson plan. My 4 hours a day went by very fast. Every afternoon there was an optional activity--trips to nearby towns, cooking classes, and lessons on Guatemalan slang—all of which helped immerse us into Guatemalan culture. Finally, the space is a beautiful colonial building with a lovely courtyard and a new espresso bar where we enjoyed a nice cup of coffee or tea during the breaks. If you want to learn Spanish, I highly recommend Celas Maya!
I really enjoyed my time learning at Celas-Maya. My goal was to learn about Mayan cultures in addition to use my Spanish at a higher level, and my teacher was Kich'e. Even though I was only there for two weeks, since each student works one on one with a teacher it is intense, and I learned a lot. Everyone was very nice and the administration is organized and professional. Many of the students are beginners or intermediate students, and the afternoon activities and home stays give students an opportunity to utilize their language skills in real life situations. Xela is not touristy so one will not run into people on the corner with whom to speak English--it can be a true immersion experience. My favorite trips were to Las Fuentes Georginas, Cantel and to the Museo Ixkik (mayan clothing).
Celas Maya is an incredible school and I can't recommend it enough for anyone who is interested in starting to learn or improving their Spanish language skills. Regardless of your level of Spanish, the teachers meet you where you are at and the one-on-one lessons allow you to improve at your own pace and spend extra time on the specific topics that you struggle with.
The teachers are invested and passionate about teaching and make the lessons applicable to what you want to learn (whether that is medical Spanish or general conversational Spanish). Lessons are held in a cozy courtyard of the school and you can look forward to delicious mid-morning coffee breaks daily. During my two week stay in Xela, I did classes in the morning and participated in activities put on by the school during the afternoon. These activities such as cooking classes, trips to neighboring towns, movie nights, and volcano hikes are led by the teachers and are a great way to reinforce the Spanish you are learning as well as a way to learn about the Guatemalan culture. Even after only a two week stay, everyone at the school felt like family and it was hard to say goodbye. Luckily, they offer online Spanish classes with the teachers in the school that I have continued weekly since returning home. Although my Spanish hasn't been improving as fast as it did while in Guatemala (obviously), it is a great way to maintain my conversational skills and motivate me to continue working on my grammar. I highly recommend both the in-person and online classes offered by Celas Maya!
I have been taking K'iche Maya language classes on line here for a year, and spent a month this summer taking classes in person with Pablo. My experience with Celas Mayas has been wonderful. Pablo has been an incredible teacher, helping me not only learn the language, but learn about the K'iche culture through videos, stories, games, and real life experiences. My teacher has been amazing at creating a classroom environment of friendship, experiential learning, and where I feel comfortable trying to speak in K'iche. Going in person was also so lovely. The actual building has good wifi, a beautiful open space with plants and trees, and a very friendly atmosphere. Everyone is so kind and professional. I have studied several languages, and can confidently say that this school is really worth investing in. I am so grateful for the opportunity to learn from them. Highly recommend (:
My Spanish improved tremendously at Celas Maya. The entire experience (staying with a host family, 1-on-1 teaching, afternoon activities) was incredible. The teachers are kind and very knowledgeable when it comes to teaching Spanish. I got a lot of practice in speaking, reading, writing, and listening/understanding. We were able to tailor my lessons to revolve around medical Spanish, and the lessons they designed were incredible practice for me. I used so much of what I learned at Celas Maya at a clinic later on in Guatemala. I especially enjoyed the optional afternoon and weekend activities!
If you are looking to advance your Spanish skills (no matter what level) in a short amount of time, then look no further than Celas Maya. I signed up for 6-weeks of schooling and did a homestay, and it was all completely worth it.
First, with my homestay experience - I had absolutely no idea what to think going in because I’ve never done anything like this before. I ended up hitting the jackpot because the family I stayed with was the kindest, sweetest, most considerate people I’ve ever met. Maripaz and her mother Carmen (who I called Abuelita) were so generous and thoughtful while I stayed with them. I had my own bedroom and bathroom in their lovely, spacious home. They also cooked 3 meals a day for me which were always delicious.
Next for the Spanish school - I went into Celas Maya barely knowing any Spanish (except for the basics I learned in high school 16 years ago), but I left the school Xela with a level of Spanish I thought I’d never be able to achieve.
Each day I was greeted by the lovely teachers and staff members upon entering the school, which is an amazing environment conducive for learning a new language. They have a beautiful courtyard where you take your lessons with your teacher. Celas Maya does 1:1 tutoring to ensure they are maximizing their students’ full learning potential.
I had the tremendous privilege of having Byron as my teacher. For 5-hours a day, and 5-days a week Byron completely transformed my Spanish into what it is now. He was kind, patient, and empathetic - even though at times it was definitely difficult to teach me. I’d get frustrated, but he always knew how to explain things in a way that would help me understand before we moved on. He challenged me and pushed my boundaries, because of this - I learned so much more which I am truly thankful for.
All of the teachers and staff are incredibly kind, compassionate, and warmhearted people - and I cannot express enough gratitude for their hospitality. Muchas gracias Celas Maya!
Celas Maya es una excelente opción para estudiar español en Xela. Estudié aquí en dos ocasiones. La primera vez fue en 2019 por 3 meses y la segunda vez fue en 2023 por 6 semanas. Es un instituto muy organizado, fiable y profesional. Se mantienen en contacto contigo por cualquier duda o problema que tengas. No tienes que preocuparte por nada desde que te recogen del aeropuerto hasta tu último día con ellos. Además de la amplia variedad de cursos que ofrecen, hay diferentes actividades todos los días. Los profesores y las familias (si optas por alojamiento) son muy amables. Siempre la paso bien con ellos y se los recomendaría a cualquiera que tenga interés en estudiar español en Guatemala. Gracias por todo Celas Maya.
Ich war zwar nur 3 Wochen dort, weil mir eine Freundin die Schule empfohlen hatte, aber ich wäre auch gern länger dort geblieben. Sehr nette Leute, effektiver Unterricht, tolle gemeinsame Aktivitäten, eine sehr nette Familie in der Nähe der Schule, wo ich gut versorgt wurde. Alles in allem war es eine super Erfahrung
Definitely the top Spanish school in Xela! Their level of professionalism and the extensive (and ongoing) training of their instructors sets them apart. (Of course, they’re all really lovely people too! Everyone I met was kind and fun to talk to.) I thought the high quality of instruction and expertise that comes with the Instituto Cervantes certification was well worth the price. It also meant the other students were serious about learning, and also practicing when we were together outside of class. (I didn’t come to Xela to speak English with other gringos, right?) I can’t recommend Celas Maya highly enough!
I spent two weeks studying at Celas Maya. It is the second school I have studied at in Guatemala. It is more expensive than other schools but you get what you pay for and it still represents great value. My teacher, Alejandra was exceptional, gently pointing out my weaknesses and structuring the lessons in accordance with my needs. I couldn’t recommend the school highly enough.
